Supreme Court to hear DOMA, Prop 8

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear cases challenging DOMA and Prop 8  which deny same sex marriage.

Washingtonpost.com:

The Supreme Court put itself at the center of the nation’s debate over whether gay couples have the same fundamental right to marry as heterosexuals, agreeing Friday to review state and federal efforts to preserve a traditional definition of husband and wife.

In agreeing to hear cases from California and New York, the court raised the possibility of a groundbreaking constitutional decision on whether the right to marry may be limited because of sexual orientation. At the same time, the justices also will have the ability to issue narrower rulings on a subject that continues to divide the American public.

The cases will probably be heard in historic sessions at the court in late March, with decisions to come when the justices finish their work at the end of June.

The court’s first review of same-sex marriage comes at a fast-moving but unsettled time in the nation’s consideration of gay rights. Last month brought Election Day victories for same-sex marriage supporters in three states, including Maryland, and the reelection of President Obama, the first chief executive to endorse the right of gays to marry.

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Beware of unintended consequences–The butt of a joke

Some staggering news out of Great Britain comes as a follow up to Kate Middleton’s hospitalization.  Everyone remembers (it was only a couple days ago) the hoax phone  call to the hospital where Kate Middleton was being treated for extreme morning sickness.  The fake call came in pretending the queen was on the line, inquiring about Kate.

The nurse who fielded that call, Jacintha Saldanha,  has apparently committed suicide outside of the hospital.  She was the butt of everyone’s joke.  She leaves 2 small children.  I believe she was  a single mom.  How truly tragic.  Buckingham Palace immediately responded with horror and reassured everyone that they had not complained about anyone at the hospital.

Here is the lesson on unintended consequences.  Who would have thought that a prank would result in the loss of someone’s life?

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Rachel Mad-Cow gets a grammy nomination? Stay classy, Fox Nation!

Huffingtonpost.com:

Fox News’ opinion website Fox Nation ran quite the headline above a story on Rachel Maddow’s Grammy Award nomination.

The MSNBC host was nominated for Best Spoken Word Album with her book, “Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power.” Fellow category nominees include Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama.

While most websites ran with a straightforward headline announcing her nomination, Fox Nation took a different approach.

Above a bizarrely-chosen photo of Maddow, a headline reads, “Rachel Madd-Cow Gets a Grammy Nomination?”

When Maddow appeared on Ellen DeGeneres’ daytime talk show in 2011, the MSNBC host discussed how she receives hate mail from people who call her Rachel Mad-Cow.

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White House considers legal action against the weed states

 

Huffingtonpost.com:

WASHINGTON — Senior White House and Justice Department officials are considering plans for legal action against Colorado and Washington that could undermine voter-approved initiatives to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in those states, according to several people familiar with the deliberations.

Even as marijuana legalization supporters are celebrating their victories in the two states, the Obama administration has been holding high-level meetings since the election to debate the response of federal law enforcement agencies to the decriminalization efforts.

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